Griffith and district horticulturalists have supplied markets with fruits, and vegetables. They are now viable industries, but this was not always so. Original farm allocations of 10-20 acres were too small to be economic. Settlers could not expand acreage as banks would not give loans on leasehold. Rent on Unimproved Capital Value was instantly increased tenfold, based on Improved Capital Value, when fruit trees were planted, fences or a house constructed. Settlers often had more agricultural knowledge than the government experts.
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Fruit trees issued by the government agency, WC&IC, were frequently the wrong variety. Some farms were on the wrong soils for the allocated plantings. Salted land expanded.
To generate income, farmers grew vegetable cash crops to 'keep the pot boiling' such as tomatoes, melons, potatoes and onions. Desperately some tried peanuts and tobacco. Many orchardists dried their own stone fruits.
The main problem was that there was no efficient, centralised marketing organisation. A Leeton State Cannery opened in 1914 and by 1920 fruit production had doubled. In 1922 the government suspended the financial support of the Sustenance Payments, just as the fruit market collapsed from oversupply.
The Yenda Tobacco Curing Society was set up in 1921 and evolved into the Yenda Producers Co-operative Society in 1926. It consigned fruits by train to Sydney markets and acted as an agent for canners and dried fruit growers. It dehydrated and graded prunes.
The products were packed and exported under the Wee Juggler label.
The Griffith Co-operative Company was also an agent for canneries. It operated its own prune and orange plant and marketed its brand Excello. The small brick weighbridge office still stands on Banna Avenue, that section known locally as Prod's Straight. During WW2 MIA canned fruits, vegetables and orange juice were supplied in large quantities to the armed forces.
In 1956 an extremely high rainfall killed thousands of trees. Expensive tile drainage was essential.
By about 1950 horticulturalists were slowly able to pay off their long-term debts.
